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Mr. Zhong would be a curiosity, except that he is not alone. Just around the corner is another shopless cobbler and nearby are two watch repairmen out of umbrella-shaded booths on the sidewalk.

Migrants from Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, accustomed to such street workshops in their homelands, have set them up on New York's sidewalks as well, whatever the legalities. And the authorities seem to leave him alone. In fact, he said, the police officers from the local precinct are among his customers.

The continuing spiral in the numbers and variety of immigrants — the United States Census Bureau reported last week that 36 percent of New York City residents and 46.6 percent of those living in Queens were born abroad —

Mr. Zhong, speaking in Cantonese through Keith Chong, "Basically, there's no cost of doing business," he said. The couple have two grown sons and a grown daughter in China and one grandson. He spends the few hours at home reading a Chinese newspaper or watching television, enjoying the filmed clips on news shows even if he does not know English.